Night Markets, especially in Asia, are some of the greatest spots to fall in love with local society, crafts, and cuisine. The glowing slice of Jakarta’s night markets history can be traced back to the colonial Dutch East Indies period in the early 20th century. Gambir Night Market fills the legendary position of Indonesian night market history; this night market fair was held in 1906 the first time and became an annual fair from 1921 until 1942.
Night markets in Indonesia are traditionally held on different days with different locations or known as Hari Pasaran in Javanese which translates as “market days”. Nowadays, you can find night markets every night, on the weekends, during special occasions, or festivals such as during Ramadan nights. Now, night markets have become recreational places for local families and even young people due to innovations in how it is held. Jakarta’s night markets can be found in corners of its concrete jungles, some night markets stay open for twenty-four hours, and some are only open for a short period of time. You can buy anything you desire in the markets such as affordable clothes, foods, accessories, and many more! Besides all the things you can get there, you also can see the local’s panoramas of the night and mingle with the locals along with the tunes of street artists.
This article is specially made for you guys to experience 7 of the best night markets in Jakarta’s bustling capital city, offering everything from vintage clothes, beautifully handcrafted souvenirs, fun street performances, to local street food heaven!
1. Kota Tua Night Market
The first recommendation of night market in Jakarta is the Kota Tua. In this Jakarta’s night market, you can enjoy many things. Enjoy the historical night market of Kota Tua (Old Town); when the sun sets and the orange lights glow in contrast with the old Dutch buildings, then it’s time for you to find the glowing lights of the night market. Kota Tua is a popular spot for both locals and tourists. In fact, the night market is famous for its culinary night. You can enjoy a variety of Indonesian street snacks. You’ll find Kerak Telor, Tahu Gejrot, roasted corn, satays, and the list goes on. Furthermore, you can take photographs in the center of a historical place in Jakarta, shop, rent a bicycle, or sit in one of the many picturesque cafes in Kota Tua. Just don’t forget to bring your camera!
Opening Hours: 17.00 – 01.00.
Address: Jl. Pintu Besar Utara No.27, Pinangsia, Kec. Taman Sari, Jakarta Barat.
Also Read: Indonesian Dessert Drinks in Jakarta
2. Santa Modern Night Market
Next, we recommend the best night market in Jakarta, which is the recently revamped Santa Modern Night Market. It is located in Kebayoran Baru area and is one of Jakarta’s oldest night markets. It combines both traditional and modern charm. In the morning, people who shop for daily needs fill the lower part of the market. At night, there are a variety of people, ranging from university students, young executives, to tourists. Santa Market caters mostly to younger crowds. However, if you’re looking to flee the busy malls for a unique local experience, Santa is a great choice to visit! you can find hipster tastes, vintage record stores, amazing books, and unique clothing!
Opening Hours: 14.00 – 00.00
Address: Pasar Santa Modern, Lantai Dasar AKS, Jl. Cipaku I No.121, Petogogan, Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta 12170.
3. Pecah Kulit Market
After that the recommendation for Jakarta’s night markets goes to Pecah Kulit market or Mangga Dua market. This night market is located approximately 1 km below the railway of Mangga Dua. The traditional market provides a variety of goods such as clothing for women, toys for children, accessories, and some traditional food goodies, such as fried noodles and satays. Moreover, Pecah Kulit Night Market tends to become more lively towards Eid and year-end holidays. If you wish to visit this night market be sure to practice your bargaining superpower and use it every time you want to buy something.
Opening Hours: 18.00 – 02.00
Address: South Mangga Dua, Sawah Besar, Central Jakarta City, Jakarta 10730.
4. Jaksa Street Festival
Next recommendation that is on the list of Jakarta’s night markets is The Jaksa Street Festival. This festival is a huge night market in Jakarta with a myriad of stalls selling clothes, footwear, beautiful accessories, local food handicrafts, and souvenirs ready for you to buy. Wait, there’s more: If you’re lucky enough you might be able to admire the beautiful regional art performances such as Tanjidor and Ondel-Ondel, or get a glimpse of live performances from local artists and bands. Take it all in and get inspired by the local, creative, vibe of the Jaksa Street Festival!
Opening Hours: 12.00 – 00.00 (differs every year)
Address: Jl. Jaksa No.19, RT.7/RW.5, Kb. Sirih, Kec. Menteng, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10340
5. Kemandoran Pluis Friday Night Market
The next one on the list of Jakarta’s night markets is the Kemandoran Pluis Street. This market is only available on Friday night. You can find this market in Kemandoran Pluis street, South Jakarta. Since this night market is held regularly and exclusively e on Friday nights, a lot of the street vendors in this market sell specific needs for men, women, and children. For example, clothing, pants, underwear, and women’s hijabs and accessories at affordable prices. Furthermore, this market also supplies kitchen utensils and home furniture. Plus, if you’re traveling to the night market with your family and have younger kids, you can make fun and lasting memories by visiting the games area.
There are plenty of food vendors that sell local tastes. For instance, ketoprak, sate padang, pastry pie, sweet boiled corn, etc. Kemandoran Pluis Night Market is a truly complete and splendid experience of Jakarta’s night scene!
Opening Hours: 18.00 – 11.00 (differs every time)
Address: Jl. Kemandoran Pluis, Grogol Utara, Kec. Kby. Lama, Kota Jakarta Selatan, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 12210
Also Read: Best Street Food Centers in Jakarta
6. Pecenongan Night Market
What comes to Jakarta residents when they hear the word Pecenongan is most likely to be martabak. Martabak is a famous street snack originally from Indonesia where it is made of eggs dough. It tastes really sweet and decorated with toppings such as ceres, cheese and, jams, etc. Pecenongan Area is very popular with its culinary stalls and street snacks. If you want to try street snacks, it might be a good choice to come at night. Pecenongan Night Market ready to fulfill your midnight cravings starting from 6 PM- till 2 AM. Some of the most famous and must-try foods are Sinar Garut with its chicken porridges, and then there are soto cake, fried rice, and the superstar which is Martabak 65A.
Opening Hours: 18.00 – 02.00 (differs every time)
Address: Pecenongan St, Kebon Kelapa, Gambir, Central Jakarta City, Jakarta 10120
7. BSD City Modern Market
Last but not least, we recommend the Pasar Modern BSD City as one of the night markets in Jakarta. This market is located around BSD. And, as one of the modern market, it is clean and has spacious area. In this market, you can find various things. Some of them are clothes, traditional foods, groceries, and street foods. All in all, this market offers the best local experience.
Opening Hours: 24 Hours
Address: Jl. Letnan Sutopo, Rawa Mekar Jaya, Serpong Sub-District, South Tangerang City, Banten 15310, Indonesia
Finally, those are some of our favorite night markets in Jakarta. We hope you don’t miss out on any of these markets while you’re in Jakarta! Interested also in traditional markets in Jakarta? Click here!
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